Crystar

What starts as a somewhat entertaining action RPG ends up falling apart and overstaying its welcome.

Ultimately, Crystar is a case of "be careful what you wish for." What at first appears to be an excellent deal — a game with fast-paced action combat, stunning graphics, and a story that takes women and people of varied sexualities seriously — turns out to be deeply disappointing,

Crystar pairs an original and compelling story with fairly average gameplay.

Repetition of enemy design and dungeon levels at a certain plot point make Crystar tough to endure. However, the way tears are used in terms of story and equipment is highly inventive. The macabre narration is sensitively handled, with the depiction of depression expressed exceptionally well. Desiring the sisters to be reunited is a constant theme, but even that has several twists, and finishing Rei's journey causes its own bittersweet feelings. Post-game content includes fighting previous bosses again, but replay value is high as the tale is so engaging.

Is Crystar a tear-jerker? Anyone who’s a bit of a softie will probably shed a tear or two during the story, but it doesn’t go over the top.

FuRyu and NIS bring their dark and grim world and interesting characters to Nintendo Switch players.

Crystar gets a Switch port following its earlier release on the PS4 and PC, giving you one more avenue to cry on the go. Crystar is actually one of those cases where a game boasts a strong and compelling story that’s unfortunately saddled with action gameplay that’s OK at best. Folks who prioritize top-notch combat mechanics and don’t particularly care for storytelling might want to look elsewhere. If you love games with a strong narrative and interesting characters, however, Crystar is definitely worth a trip to Purgatory despite its faults.

Crystar runs really well on the Switch, but is held back by poor combat and level design.

Crystar combines a stunning supernatural setting with simple hack-and-slash fighting to draw you through a complex and profound plot that bounces betweens realms.

Trying to interest by its purpose and its unhappy themes, Crystar fails.